


i need you to run to me (run until you feel your lungs bleeding)

by serenitysea



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Darkfic, Destruction, F/M, Hotness, Romance, did you need some other kind of bribe to read this?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-02-15
Packaged: 2018-03-13 02:32:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3364448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenitysea/pseuds/serenitysea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>aka: <i>the one where skye searches for the heart that beats in time with hers.</i></p><p>~</p><p>She lifts her hand to him as if they are the only ones around; as if she is beckoning him, welcoming his invitation to dance. "You have <i>heart</i>,” Skye murmurs with approval.</p><p>He stands before her proud and calm. “Take me instead.”</p><p>"Silly," she reaches up, curves a gentle hand around his cheek. They can both feel the raw power thrumming under her skin and she has to hold back a gasp because it’s never been this strong before. “It was only <i>ever</i> going to be you.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	i need you to run to me (run until you feel your lungs bleeding)

**Author's Note:**

> DARKFIC MY LOVES.

 

* * *

_but in all the world_  
_there is one lover worthy of her_  
_with as many souls claimed as she_

*

She has the kind of ancient power that settles uncomfortably under her skin.

It ripples during the night and keeps her awake when she should be sleeping. There is a restlessness that _prowls_ through sinew and bone and it leaves dark smudges under her eyes in the morning.

Her father sees them and is pleased.

(When she doesn't sleep he knows the reason why.)

"Now you must sit very still and pay _attention_ , Daisy. There is so much I have to teach you."

She stares up at the man with the wild eyes and the heart that beats too fast (she can hear it call out to her like a beating drum for her ears only) and keeps her expression carefully blank.

(The purring and curling up inside her veins keeps her warm, keeps her company when she is cold and tired and aching for a break.)

(She will learn how to wield it if it costs her _everything_.)

*

(It only costs her a few more restless nights.)

*

She ages and her limbs lengthen and her hair grown long and free and her eyes are watchful and filled with secrets.

(She knows things.)

(She knows a lot of things.)

Her father is too consumed in his private battles to notice as his daughter is disappearing before his eyes.

"We have to take down the people who killed your mother — who ruined our family!"

(His is not a fight she cares to join any longer.)

(She has a much larger agenda.)

"No." She heaves a loud sigh, backing away from him slowly. " _We_ don't."

His expression grows puzzled. "Daisy, I —"

"My name — " she lifts her hand and flexes her fingers wide, watching with detachment as he flies across the room and slams into the far wall. There is a sickening crunch and dimming of life in his eyes telling her that he won't hear what she has to say.

She doesn't care.

She's not saying it for him.

"— is Skye."

*

The world learns to steer clear of the girl who can bend molecules to her will.

Then aliens invade New York and a man named Coulson dies.

The world changes.

*

She sees the plane when she closes her eyes sometimes.

It is big and gray and carries the heartbeats of five people inside.

She doesn't bring it down, even when she knows that she could. That it would only take the flick of her wrist to ground it so that flight is no longer an option.

There's something she needs.

A heart that beats louder than the others, matching time with her own.

(She _wants_ it.)

*

Because she makes no effort to hide from them — their paths eventually intersect. It takes genuine effort for her to keep the pleased smile from her face as they file out with their weapons and curious scientific gear.

(What she has can't be bought or quantified.)

(What she has is so much _more_ than this world can handle.)

The two with the metal cases and notepads — she doesn't even bother dealing with. They're not going to hurt her. They don't pose a threat.

There is a lethal woman with a gun and and older man with eyes that see more than Skye is strictly comfortable with. He carries himself with the weight of someone who has shouldered more than one person should.

(She doesn't want them either.)

The last one she sees makes her heart _sing_.

(A heartbeat that matches time with her own.)

He is tall and dark and looks forbiddingly strong and capable of many dangerous things.

(Yes. He will do nicely.)

She lifts her hand to him as if they are the only ones around; as if she is beckoning him, welcoming his invitation to dance.

He very carefully comes forward and protectively shields the others, as if trying to keep them from her sight.

"You have _heart_ ," Skye murmurs with approval.

He stands before her proud and calm. "Take me instead."

"Silly," she reaches up, curves a gentle hand around his cheek. They can both feel the raw power thrumming under her skin and she has to hold back a gasp because it's never been this strong before. _He's_ doing this. "It was only ever going to be you."

*

They trek for miles and he doesn't complain. She likes that he will follow her lead even as she wonders what it will take for him to challenge her.

(It is imperative that he can make good on the dark power corded within his muscles and bone.)

(She would not have chosen him otherwise.)

Skye is many things but she is not especially patient. She decides to see if she can push him closer to the edge. "You know you're supposed to be taking me down."

He doesn't bother denying it; she has an eerie way of ferreting out the truth. "Why aren't you stopping me?"

"Because I've decided," Skye tilts her head, glancing at him appraisingly. "You're useful."

Ward has learned by now that she isn't finished, that she wants him to draw the answer out of her like honey dripping from a comb. " _And_?"

A wickedly pleased smile blooms on her face. "And you're a _survivor_. Like me."

*

When they're hundreds of miles away and no one could ever hope to track them:

"What if I said I could make it so that no one could ever hurt you again?"

He glances alertly at her. "I've heard that before."

She reaches for his hand, linking their fingers together. It suddenly feels like every thought he's ever had is poured out for her to wade through and select the one she wants. _john the cabin the fire the house christian the fight it's cold he can't break he can't_ —

"Ah," She gives him a curious look. "And if you were even stronger than that?"

The thought has a lot of appeal.

"I'd say yes."

The smile on her face is brilliant and especially rewarding. "Good answer."

*

When they are far enough away that she can begin take accurate measure of his abilities firsthand without setting off any satellites or nosy government official types, she turns him loose. She steps away to lean against a tree and watch.

They've discussed what he should — hypothetically — be able to do but she knows he doesn't think himself capable of such a gift. Of such _power_.

(He'll learn.)

"Like this?" He turns back, glances at her with what she knows is calculated guile and a dozen thoughts racing behind those honey brown eyes.

(She can read it in the space between his heartbeats — a language all its own.)

"Almost." She comes over and settles herself close behind him, careful to keep from outright touching him except where she lays a hand over his and forces his palm open. "Like _this_."

The energy that leaps out is hungry and destructive, and it levels the forest within a quarter mile radius.

(His heart skips twice and then redoubles in earnest.)

His jaw drops open.

(This wasn't part of the plan. He hates variables. He never saw this coming.)

"Well done," Skye lavishly praises even as she lifts her hands up and brings down a small passenger jet traveling some thousand feet above. It floats almost gracefully down in the open clearing they've just created and she gestures widely when the stairwell pops open for entry. "After you."

*

When they're thirty thousand feet in the air and she's idly flicking through the news, he dares to take the seat beside her.

"Yes?"

She seems amused that he feels comfortable with such boldness, and has the sudden unsettling realization that he is caught between two versions of himself — the one he is supposed to be, and the one who can level a forest like it's nothing; like he was born to do it and has no regrets afterward. She doesn't like that he has a warring conscience on the matter and needs to get to the root of the issue before it becomes more of a problem.

"Why me?" He doesn't need to elaborate on the seemingly otherwise random choosing — that she let herself be caught, even briefly, and risked her secrecy to take him away — this was no accident.

"You feel it." She takes a deep breath and holds it, closing her eyes and tuning everything else out until there is nothing but the echo of her heart beat and the answering march of his own. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

The naked longing and hunger in his eyes is so _staggering_ that she almost has to put up a hand to hold him off. He so badly wants to belong to someone — it's etched into the sharp curve of his jaw and the heavy weight he carries atop his shoulders.

"Not yet," Skye murmurs, leaning forward and putting her hand over his. Their fingers tangle and the lights on the plane flicker and dim. The flight encounters an alarming bit of turbulence and she holds on tighter, recklessly daring him to be the first to let go.

(He _won't_.)

(And _there_ is the arrogance and unyielding spirit she knew he had. It was buried beneath pesky layers of self doubt and residual decades of hurt that had to burn away like a supernova so that his true nature could come alive.)

She draws their hands to her lips and kisses his knuckles.

" _Soon_." She promises — finally breaking contact to rise from her seat and attend to other business.

The plane levels out and the cabin lighting reverts to its normal settings.

Ward stares after her and sees the way her heartbeat flutters strong and sure in the line of her throat. It calls to him. 

(And he _wants_ it.)

*

He takes point the next time they get to the city. Just lifts his hand and straight up flattens the thriving metropolis lit up before them.

The eager grin on his face is so _delightful_ that she runs to him and throws her arms around his neck. He braces for the momentum and catches her at the waist —

— and when their lips meet, it is like the world stops moving.

(It doesn't really _stop_. It is more like a total ceasing of existence for the people who get pulverized by the energy he throws out.)

"Meant to be," she murmurs, tucking her head against his chest as he cradles her protectively from the cloud of elements headed their way.

(His heart keeps marching in time with hers in a dance they've known all their lives.)

"I do believe that," he kisses her forehead gently and it brings such _peace_ into her veins she almost groans aloud. He pauses and slowly leans forward to do it again.

This time she knows he hears the double beat and sighs quietly.

"Well, I guess you were bound to discover that eventually."

The smirk that twists his features is _almost_ as powerful as the raw energy that he can now wield to shatter civilization itself, should he so choose.

(She _loves_ it.)

"Let's see what else I can do."

(It's like she has created a monster.)

*

(She is so _pleased_ they can be monsters together.)

*

The world is not ready for them.

They don't give a _damn_.

 

* * *

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> \+ [tumblr](http://b-isforbombshell.tumblr.com)  
> \+ lyrics and title taken from hozier's run


End file.
